HOW THEY WERE FED WITH THE SANGREAL WHILE THEY WERE IN PRISON, AND HOW
GALAHAD WAS MADE KING
But as soon as they were there Our Lord sent them the Sangreal,
through whose grace they were alway fulfilled while that they were in
prison. So at the year's end it befel that this King Estorause lay
sick, and felt that he should die. Then he sent for the three knights,
and they came afore him; and he cried them mercy of that he had done
to them, and they forgave it him goodly; and he died anon. When the
king was dead all the city was dismayed, and wist not who might be
their king. Right so as they were in counsel there came a voice among
them, and bad them choose the youngest knight of them three to be
their king: For he shall well maintain you and all yours. So they made
Galahad king by all the assent of the holy city, and else they would
have slain him. And when he was come to behold the land, he let make
above the table of silver a chest of gold and of precious stones, that
hylled the holy vessel. And every day early the three fellows would
come afore it, and make their prayers. Now at the year's end, and the
self day after Galahad had borne the crown of gold, he arose up early
and his fellows, and came to the palace, and saw tofore them the holy
vessel, and a man kneeling on his knees in likeness of a bishop, that
had about him a great fellowship of angels as it had been Jesu Christ
himself; and then he arose and began a mass of Our Lady. And when he
came to the sacrament of the mass, and had done, anon he called
Galahad, and said to him: Come forth the servant of Jesu Christ, and
thou shalt see that thou hast much desired to see. And then he began
to tremble right hard when the deadly flesh began to behold the
spiritual things. Then he held up his hands toward heaven and said:
Lord, I thank thee, for now I see that that hath been my desire many a
day. Now, blessed Lord, would I not longer live, if it might please
thee, Lord. And therewith the good man took Our Lord's body betwixt
his hands, and proffered it to Galahad, and he received it right
gladly and meekly. Now wotest thou what I am? said the good man. Nay,
said Galahad. I am Joseph of Aramathie, the which Our Lord hath sent
here to thee to bear thee fellowship; and wotest thou wherefore that
he hath sent me more than any other? For thou hast resembled me in two
things; in that thou hast seen the marvels of the Sangreal, in that
thou hast been a clene maiden, as I have been and am. And when he had
said these words Galahad went to Percivale and kissed him, and
commended him to God; and so he went to Sir Bors and kissed him, and
commended him to God, and said: Fair lord, salute me to my lord, Sir
Launcelot, my father, and as soon as ye see him, bid him remember of
this unstable world. And therewith he kneeled down tofore the table
and made his prayers, and then suddenly his soul departed to Jesu
Christ, and a great multitude of angels bare his soul up to heaven,
that the two fellows might well behold it. Also the two fellows saw
come from heaven an hand, but they saw not the body. And then it came
right to the Vessel, and took it and the spear, and so bare it up to
heaven. Sithen was there never man so hardy to say that he had seen
the Sangreal.